Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Mandi and Phuket
For one person, living is cheaper in Mandi: $366 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mandi and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $366 in Mandi versus $1,278 in Phuket.
Mandi $366
Phuket $1,278
Estimated couple costs with rent: $572 in Mandi versus $2,216 in Phuket.
Mandi $572
Phuket $2,216
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $777 in Mandi versus $3,154 in Phuket.
Mandi $777
Phuket $3,154
🌍
Living in Mandi costs roughly 71% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both cities sit below the global median: Mandi73% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.02₹97.5
$4.47฿151
-77.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.64₹1,013
$32.41฿1,094
-67.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.73₹355
$8.81฿297
-57.66%
Cappuccino
$0.83₹78.7
$2.83฿95.5
-70.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36₹34.53
$0.87฿29.43
-58.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.10₹9.28
$0.49฿16.67
-79.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.90₹181
$2.56฿86.4
-25.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56₹244
$3.68฿124
-30.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.58₹54.9
$1.66฿56.0
-65.06%
White Bread(500g)
$0.54₹51.5
$1.46฿49.35
-63.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.77₹73.7
$1.50฿50.6
-48.67%
Eggs
$0.89₹85.2
$2.09฿70.5
-57.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$2.46₹234
$19.07฿644
-87.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.06₹196
$3.30฿111
-37.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$10.91฿368
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.04₹98.9
$2.93฿99.0
-64.51%
Banana(1kg)
$0.70₹66.5
$1.69฿57.1
-58.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.51₹48.56
$2.25฿75.8
-77.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.31₹29.31
$2.08฿70.1
-85.10%
Potato(1kg)
$0.28₹26.39
$1.51฿51.0
-81.46%
Onion(1kg)
$0.35₹32.86
$1.38฿46.56
-74.64%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.33₹31.70
$1.07฿35.99
-69.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.20₹19.01
$0.52฿17.52
-61.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.94₹470
$4.20฿142
17.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.45₹805
$18.79฿634
-55.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48₹141
$1.82฿61.5
-18.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00₹191
$2.84฿95.9
-29.58%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$4.80₹457
-
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🚌 Getting Around
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23₹21.61
$1.45฿49.03
-84.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$7.02₹668
$56.7฿1,913
-87.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.06₹101
$3.02฿102
-64.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33₹31.61
$1.02฿34.36
-67.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.41₹134
$3.69฿125
-61.79%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.97₹92.7
$1.47฿49.81
-34.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.4K₹1.1M
$26.8K฿904.3K
-57.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.2K₹1.7M
$26.7K฿901.3K
-31.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.4₹6,230
$96.4฿3,254
-32.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.75₹357
$11.26฿380
-66.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.10₹676
$16.85฿569
-57.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.95₹1,328
$67.2฿2,270
-79.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.64₹633
$10.73฿362
-38.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.61₹343
$7.50฿253
-51.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$50.4₹4,801
$476฿16.1K
-89.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,409₹134.1K
$11.3K฿380.4K
-87.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.15₹2,395
$62.4฿2,106
-59.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.61₹2,629
$28.41฿959
-2.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$38.49₹3,665
$94.3฿3,184
-59.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.46₹3,758
$85.8฿2,898
-54.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$107₹10.2K
$716฿24.2K
-85.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$71.3₹6,791
$491฿16.6K
-85.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$264₹25.1K
$1,927฿65.1K
-86.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$186₹17.7K
$1,431฿48.3K
-86.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,006₹95.8K
$4,175฿141.0K
-75.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$531₹50.6K
$3,045฿102.8K
-82.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mandi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$424₹40.3K
$502฿17.0K
-15.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.88
5.57
59.43%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mandi: October 24, 2026
Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mandi
$82 22.4%
Phuket
$266 20.8% ↑ 225%$184
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandi
$76 20.8%
Phuket
$124 9.7% ↑ 63.2%$48
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mandi
$71 19.5%
Phuket
$491 38.4% ↑ 588%$420
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mandi
$59 16.1%
Phuket
$122 9.5% ↑ 107%$63
🍽Eating Out
Mandi
$46 12.5%
Phuket
$122 9.5% ↑ 166%$76
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mandi
$21 5.8%
Phuket
$82 6.4% ↑ 289%$61
🚌Getting Around
Mandi
$11 2.9%
Phuket
$71 5.5% ↑ 563%$60
🛒Groceries & Markets
Mandi
$171 22%
Phuket
$600 19% ↑ 250%$429
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mandi
$80 10.3%
Phuket
$136 4.3% ↑ 69.6%$56
🏠Accommodation & Living
Mandi
$186 24%
Phuket
$1.4K 45.4% ↑ 669%$1.2K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Mandi
$131 16.8%
Phuket
$271 8.6% ↑ 107%$140
🍽Eating Out
Mandi
$138 17.8%
Phuket
$398 12.6% ↑ 188%$259
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Mandi
$49 6.3%
Phuket
$175 5.6% ↑ 258%$126
🚌Getting Around
Mandi
$22 2.8%
Phuket
$144 4.6% ↑ 562%$122
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $107 in Mandi and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $11 in Mandi vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $82 vs $266 per month, with Mandi cheaper across the board.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Mandi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mandi and in Phuket?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $366 in Mandi and $1,278 in Phuket, so Mandi is about 71% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Mandi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mandi and in Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $107 in Mandi versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 225% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Mandi – a meal for two runs $11 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $366 in Mandi versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Mandi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mandi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mandi and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Mandi or Phuket?
Expats usually find Mandi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.